Romancing The Rock

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” [Ephesians 2:14-16 NIV]

Image by Tijmen van Dobbenburgh

As I read Ephesians recently, it occurred to me that after Jesus’s time on earth, the whole church experienced a revolution — well those who accepted who He was anyway. No longer was knowledge of God only available to Jews — the chosen people — and no longer were God’s children bound by a heavy burden of law and sacrifice.

Freedom swept through Israel and surrounding nations as the Gospel was spread. People could have a relationship with Christ — people everywhere. The barrier between Jew and Gentile was removed, so that anyone can now come to the Father. The law was broken wide open, becoming a heart response to a love relationship with the Almighty God, instead of a list of rules you dare not veer from.

Those early Christians must have felt so liberated, so excited about this new way of living. It is no wonder the Good News spread like wildfire with thousands coming to Christ all the time. And the apostles burned with it. They went to extraordinary lengths to keep on spreading the Gospel, even in the face of persecution and death.

It makes me wonder. Are we so used to this freedom that we have now taken it for granted? Do we burn with zeal for the gospel like those early Christians? Are we willing to face persecution to see more people saved? God, stir up the fires within our spirit and give us your heart for the nations.